Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in the Pleural Fluid
- Author:
Moon Seong BAEK
1
;
Won-Young KIM
;
Kyoung Ju LEE
;
Chang Suk NOH
Author Information
- Publication Type:Case Report
- From:Infection and Chemotherapy 2021;53(3):578-581
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can be detected via a nasopharyngeal swab and in sputum, blood, urine, and feces. However, there is only limited data on the real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with pleural fluid. We report a case of COVID-19 with SARS-CoV-2 detected in both sputum and pleural fluid. A 68-year-old male patient came to the hospital with a chief complaint of dyspnea. He was diagnosed with lung cancer. A biopsy was performed, and a pneumothorax was found. As a result, a chest tube was placed into the right pleural space. During his hospital stay, the patient was confirmed as COVID-19 positive. We identified the presence of SARS-CoV-2 through real-time RTPCR assay from the pleural fluid. Although pleural effusion is an uncommon finding in the COVID-19, care should be taken to avoid exposure when handling the pleural fluid sample.
